1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to equipment security apparatus in general and in particular to a method and apparatus for releasably attaching equipment, such as computers, typewriters, printers, facsimile machines and the like to horizontal and vertical surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The theft of and tampering with office equipment, such as computer equipment, typewriters, printers, facsimile machines and the like from offices, schools and other workplaces has given rise to a number of methods and a variety of apparatus for releasably securing the equipment to horizontal and vertical surfaces. Such surfaces may, for example, comprise a table top, a desk top, the side panel of a desk or cabinet, a wall surface, and the like.
Whatever else the security apparatus used to secure equipment from theft and tampering comprises, it is important that the apparatus readily permit the authorized removal of the equipment for repair and/or replacement. It is also important that the security apparatus used be unobtrusive and that it not interfere with the proper operation of the equipment or the operator thereof.
The type of security apparatus to which the present invention relates comprises a base member and a cover member.
The base member is attached to a horizontal or vertical surface by means of bolts or adhesive pads or strips in such a manner that unauthorized removal thereof is rendered very difficult, if at all possible, without significant damage to the base member and/or surface to which it is attached.
Heretofore, when bolts or the like were used for attaching the base member to a horizontal or vertical surface, the base member was generally customized for a particular type and size of equipment and the attaching method and means used did not normally provide for replacing the equipment so attached with equipment of a different size or shape. Thus, when equipment of a different size and/or shape was secured at the same location, it was often necessary to place new holes in the mounting surface in order to mount the equipment. Such procedures were costly in both time and money and often left unused holes in the mounting surface which had to be repaired.
The cover member is attached to the base member by means including a key operable lock which allows the cover member to be removed from the base member when the lock is opened.
Heretofore, the means used for attaching the cover member to the base member has typically comprised relative costly and complex sheet metal bending, castings, movable mechanisms and the like. For example, in one arrangement, the base member comprises one or more plates comprising parallel sets of colinear loops which mate with corresponding colinear loops extends from a cast metallic cover member. A plurality of rods are inserted through the loops for joining the cover member to the base member and held in place by a lock. Such an arrangement is shown, for example, in Gassaway, U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,392.
In another prior known arrangement, the means used for attaching the cover and base members together comprises a mechanism with four radially extending arms/rods which are manipulated in such a manner as to pass through mating holes in the cover and base members for locking the two together. An example of this type of arrangement has been sold by Doss Industries, San Francisco, Calif.
Still other examples of the means which have been used in the past to releasably join a cover member to a base member are represented by cover and base members which have overlapping and flanged sidewalls which are engaged in a telescoping manner. An example of this type of arrangement has been sold by Boscop Inc., Canton, Mass. and another is disclosed in Boscacci U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,109.
Other important features of a security apparatus of the type to which the present invention relates pertain to the method and means used for attaching or otherwise securing the equipment to the cover member. For example, in many such arrangements, the equipment is bolted to the cover member by means of retaining bolts which project upwardly through holes provided therefore in the cover member. While possibly the simplest, this method cannot be used in those cases in which the equipment does not include secure anchoring points, such as for example, personal computers, keyboards, and the like, which comprise plastic housings. Another disadvantage of this method is that there is generally sufficient clearance between the equipment and the cover member for one to insert a hacksaw blade or the like and cut through the retaining bolts.
Another method which has been used for securing equipment to a cover member comprises enclosing the equipment in a housing attached to the cover member. While considerably more secure than simply bolting the equipment to a cover member as described above, this method has the disadvantage of being costly in terms of labor and materials required for fabricating the housing and, possibly even more importantly, it has the disadvantage of requiring either cooling equipment or other some other means for providing adequate ventilation for the equipment installed therein. Moreover, such housings are often bulky, taking up valuable space and are relatively obtrusive. An example of such a housing is shown in Jedziniak U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,510.